


It will always be him

by BadWolfin221B



Category: Sherlock (TV)
Genre: Anal Sex, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Bottom Sherlock Holmes, Case, Courage, Emotional Abuse, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fluff, Gay Sherlock, Happy Ending, Homophobia, Homophobic Language, John Loves Sherlock, Love, M/M, Mentions of Rape, Minor Character Death, Murder, Past Rape/Non-con, Pretending to be straight, Sherlock Loves John, Tolerance, Top John Watson, bi john, body - Freeform, strong relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-18
Updated: 2017-03-18
Packaged: 2018-10-07 07:16:10
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 8,349
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10355016
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BadWolfin221B/pseuds/BadWolfin221B
Summary: " It was a wedding invitation for John’s cousin’s wedding. The whole event would start tomorrow. His family messed his address up so it came that late. John’s whole family will be there, even his father. His family who didn’t know that he was bisexual, let alone that he was in a relationship with a man. His family who was so homophobic that they made Harry’s life a hell after her coming out.His family who always said that John was their good child, the one who would never disappoint them and who would give them grandchildren. "





	1. The calm before the storm

**Author's Note:**

> This is the first fanfiction I wrote that includes a sex scene so... I hope you enjoy it :D

John woke up because of a heavy hand that landed directly on his face.

He blinked and cracked his eyes open.  He saw that the sun was barely filling the room and turned his head to look at his watch. 6am.

 He groaned and turned his face towards the owner of the hand.  He looked at the Sherlock’s face who was sleeping like a rock. It was a rarely seen scene because of the fact that Sherlock slept so seldom. But when he slept he slept like a dead man while acting ruthless.

John put the hand from his face and regarded the porcelain-like face and the soft black curls of the man beside him. Sherlock lay on his stomach with his face towards John. The sight in front of him put a smile on his face.

He couldn’t resist the urge to reach out and touch his face gently.

During the touch Sherlock’s eyelids quivered slightly before he opened his eyes completely.

At once John was caught as the two graphite-like eyes locked with his own.

 They were a couple since four month now and knew each other for six month now but John still couldn’t believe that he could call the man before him his own.  

He turned to his left so he was face to face with Sherlock and smiled.

“Good morning.”

Sherlock  smiled back and looked at his watch.

“It’s 6am John, why are you awake? It’s Sunday.”   

John laughed and gave Sherlock a little push. 

“Yeah, right. What do you think why I’m awake? You’re the genius of us.”

Sherlock raised his eyebrows and waited for John to explain.

John groaned. 

“You woke me up, you git. You practically smacked your hand on my face.” 

Sherlock tried to look remorseful but failed. Instead he grinned. 

“You think that’s funny?”

John looked contrite at Sherlock so he pushed himself up at his elbows and looked straight at John’s face.

“Okay, I’m sorry John. I really am. But you know… now that you’re awake we could take advantage of the extra time we have before you meet with Mike.”

“Are you serious? You just woke me up after just 5 hours of sleep and now you’re trying to seduce me?!”

“I’m not trying, John. Besides I already said that I’m sorry and I really want to make it up to you.”

John raised his eyebrows and laughed.

“So you’re saying that I would forgive you when we had sex?! I’m not that easy to get, Sherlock.” 

“No, you’re not but I really want to sleep with you.”

 They stared at each other for what felt like an eternity as Sherlock reached out to kiss John.  

At first it was a chaste kiss but soon Sherlock grabbed John’s neck to hold him in place and deepened the kiss.

Sherlock shifted until he nearly lay on top of John.

John escaped a moan because of the sudden physical contact.  This encouraged Sherlock to go further and so he let one of his hands wander under the John’s t-shirt.

He caressed his stomach and chest without stopping the kiss.

Then he felt the growing bulge of John meeting his own so he decided to let his hands wander to this area but as soon as he removed his other hand from John’s neck, John’s hands caught his and suddenly John was above him.

Sherlock looked a bit shocked but John responded with a wide grin on his face.

As John showed no intentions in continuing their actions Sherlock stared at him almost pouting.

Suddenly John laughed.

“You look so adorable when you’re mad.” 

Sherlock looked at him with an irritated and shocked expression but as soon as he tried to reply John was faster.

While shaking his head he said: “I love you so much.” 

Sherlock stared into the deep blue eyes while feeling warmth spread in his whole body. 

“I love you too, John.”

Then John let go of his hands and leaned down to continue the kiss. Soon he let Sherlock remove his shirt and then he repaid the favour and removed Sherlock’s shirt as well. 

Their pants and underwear followed soon.

 John caressed his neck and chest with kisses. He kept moving deeper until he could also place a kiss on Sherlock’s length which let Sherlock’s breath stop.  He moved up once more and licked his way from Sherlock’s navel until he reached his nipple.  John sucked on it the way Sherlock liked it until Sherlock practically dragged him away. “If you want me to last John, you have to stop this right now!”

John stopped and looked at his lover’s eyes with full blown pupils and reached for the nightstand to get the lube.

He put some of it into his hands and settled himself between Sherlock’s thighs.

Then he leaned forward to kiss Sherlock while at the same time stroking his lover’s length.  

Sherlock moaned into the kiss while saying his partner’s name.

After a few minutes John leaned back, got the tube and put more lube on his hands and finally reached for Sherlock’s entrance.

 He pulled one finger into it, and then slowly added a second and a third one. 

He slowly pulled his fingers in and out, his lover’s length pressing hard into his stomach until Sherlock screamed.

“John! It’s enough! I’m ready! Please! Oh! Just…please!”

 John didn’t have to be told twice.

He pulled his fingers out, put lube on his already leaking hard one. 

Then he slowly pushed in until his whole length disappeared in Sherlock.

He pulled back and in again until Sherlock screamed “Harder, John!”  

 Something he complied happily.

They moved in perfect synchronicity, both sweating and murmuring love declarations to each other. 

John hit Sherlock’s prostate again and again while touching him until his lover screamed with his name on his lips. 

Sherlock came spilling everything on himself and John’s stomach.

Only a few pushes later John followed and filled Sherlock with his come.

 He slowly pulled out, preventing falling on Sherlock and fell beside him.

They were both heavy breathing and unable to move for a while.

Then Sherlock rolled to the side, smiling at John. John faced him and smiled back.

“I love you.”

“I love you, too.” 

“I think we should get a shower.”

“True.”

John pushed himself up and stood beside the bed, offering Sherlock a hand.

He took it and they both entered the shower.

 It was a really nice way to start the day. They didn’t know that their peace would be disturbed the next day.


	2. The invitation

John was just putting clothes into their washing machine as Mrs Hudson arrived at their flat.

“Huhu boys, I got some of your mail.”

As soon as she found John she smiled.

“Ah there you are. Here.”

John thanked her and as soon as he finished the chore he looked through the mail and nearly fainted.

* * *

 

Three hours later Sherlock arrived from Bart’s and found John sitting in his chair looking like a stone statue.

He stopped talking about his current experiment and deduced John.

He was staring at nothing, his left hand into a fist while his other one was clutching at a card- an invitation? A cup of untouched tea stood right before him.Now cold. 

Sherlock hunkered down before John and tried to get his attention but failed. So he wrested the card from his hand and read it.

 It was a wedding invitation for John’s cousin’s wedding. The whole event would start tomorrow. His family messed his address up so it came that late. John’s whole family will be there, even his father.

His family who didn’t know that he was bisexual, let alone that he was in a relationship with a man. His family who was so homophobic that they made Harry’s life a hell after her coming out.                His family who always said that John was their good child, the one who would never disappoint them and who would give them grandchildren.

John was afraid. Sherlock understood that. John told him everything about his family ages ago.

His father was the obligatory patriarch of the family. His word was the rule. So when he said that he didn’t want a daughter that was such abnormality, so that he wouldn’t talk to her until she would behave normal, everyone followed his example.

Everyone except John ignored her until she came home with boyfriends which made her so unhappy that she started to drink.

John escaped his home and his father by joining the army and after that he never returned and stayed in London. 

Harry found Clara when she was in college, she stopped the drinking but had no contact with her family. Except for John no family member came to their wedding.

When they got divorced she was at least allowed to visit her family a few times a year. 

John knew that he was bisexual since he was a teenager. But because of his family he never tried to do something in that direction until he met Sherlock.

He fell in love with him and he knew that he would do everything for him, he risked his life for him often enough now so no need to prove that and the same counted for Sherlock.

But this was something different. He had two options. Either he was going to lose his whole family or they were going to pretend to be just flatmates while risking their relationship.

John felt like he was falling and falling and there was no end of this black hole until he flinched because he felt that he was embraced by two long arms and pressed against a body that he knew better than his own by now. 

He closed his eyes and noticed just now that he was shaking. Sherlock just held him for what felt hours until he fell asleep.  

When he woke up, the first thing he noticed was that Sherlock was playing his violin silently.

He was caught in that sight until Sherlock noticed that he was awake and stopped playing.

He put the violin down and sat in his chair adverse to John and just looked at him expectantly.

“I’m sorry.”

 “You were afraid. Do you want to hear what I think?”

John nodded.

“Okay. I think it would be the best if you go alone to the wedding and I’ll stay here.”

John froze. He couldn’t face his family after all this time he accomplished to avoid it all by himself.

But he knew it would be unfair to force Sherlock to go with him so he breathed in and nodded.

“Okay. You’re right. That’s for the best.”

Sherlock nodded too and went to the kitchen to make tea. While he did that he watched John out of the corner of his eye and cringed a bit as he saw how John was again staring at nothing, lost in thoughts that belonged to the past. He had calculated all possibilities that they had and the one he suggested was the safest one but now he worried about John’s mental health.

He went back to John with the now finished tea and sat again in his chair. After he took his first sip of his tea he decided to just make the suggestion of the second best option. 

“There is of course also the option that I come along with you.”

John eyes widened before he spoke.

“As my…?”

“Obviously as your straight flatmate. Don’t be so thick, John.” 

“But…but we’re… that’s unfair. I don’t want that. I want that everyone knows that you belong to me.”

“Yes, yes it is unfair indeed. But I don’t think that you want to start a fight at a wedding or do you? And as far as I see you really want me to come along to please see that this is the only way to make this possible.”

John looked really unhappy but thought about it.

“So…it would be okay for you to pretend that we are just flatmates?”

“I can say honestly that I’m not looking forward to it and under different circumstances I would avoid it with all strength but I really love you so I think that I couldn’t bear it to see you so unhappy.”

John looked still really unhappy so Sherlock stood up and went to John’s chair and took his face in his hands.

“For God’s sake John, believe me, I wouldn’t do it if I didn’t want to do it.”

Then he pressed a hard kiss on John’s mouth and straightened himself up and offered John one hand.   

“Come, we need to pack.”

John took the offered hand and they both went to their bedroom to pack for the trip.


	3. The wedding

They arrived pretty early and got their keys to their separate rooms. Their rooms were next to each other which was good because Sherlock insisted that he would sneak every night into John’s room because he just slept willingly when John was in bed with him.  

They spent their first day there with sight-seeing and when they came back to the hotel they both went to their rooms to shower and exactly one hour later Sherlock would sneak into John’s room and leeched on to him like he was afraid that he would just disappear if he wasn’t careful enough. 

The wedding ceremony was the next day and they both prepared to survive everything.

The ceremony went smoothly as expected because it was the wedding party afterwards which was the worrying part.

There would be alcohol and a lot of family members of John’s  and just a lot of people. They went to the door of the festival room and took a moment to just breathe.  Then they looked at each other in the eyes for a long minute before they took their roles and went in.

The men made sure that they always let a noticeable space between them and that they never touched each other.

They went through the guests and John introduced Sherlock to everyone they had to talk to.

Then they split and John went to his parents while Sherlock went to the bar.

John went to stand next to his father who talked with friends of his.

“Ah, John. Nice to see you! I’m glad that you could make it. So guys, this is my son.” he announces proudly while tapping his shoulder. 

“He was a soldier and a doctor. I’m so proud of him. I’m proud that he didn’t become such a wimp like a lot of his old friends, even if he lives in London. I mean did you hear what happened to Michael’s son? You wouldn’t believe it! He became a fucking poof!”

John nearly choked on his drink. He excused himself while his father talked further and went to Sherlock.

Sherlock watched him expectantly and just waited until John wanted to talk.

“He didn’t change a bit. He’s such an…I can’t even say it out loud. But what did I expect hm? You know what? Whatever! How have you been so far?” 

Sherlock smirked and put three slips of paper on the counter. 

“I got three telephone numbers.”

John’s eyes widened as he looked at the numbers.

“You got...telephone numbers…you got…from whom?”

 Sherlock pointed to three different girls, still grinning.

“I suppose I’m better at these things than I thought I was. Or do you think it is due to the gender? Maybe I’m just bad at flirting with men. What a shame. Why am I only useful at such a useless matter?”

Sherlock looked like he was pouting which made John laugh. 

“Believe me you are good at flirting in general. The gender makes no difference.”

Sherlock chuckled at that and John joined him. They stayed at the bar while Sherlock deduced the other guests for John until dinner was announced and they had to sit down at the table with John’s family.

As soon as the dinner was finished his father began the questioning.

“So… you and my son are… flatmates?”

“Yes.”

“Aren’t you two a bit too old to have a roommate?”

“No we aren’t and the flat would be too expensive to live there alone.”

This was a blunt lie. Sherlock lived there many years alone before he met John but John didn’t even think about correcting him.   

“I see and what do you do for living? I mean do you even have a job?”

“Yes, sir. I’m a consulting detective, the only one in the world. You can look me up.” 

Sherlock forced a what he hoped polite looking smile on his face while John clenched his glass like he was trying to crash it. His father didn’t like it when you try to give clever answers and he knew that Sherlock was on the edge ready to burst into loud deductions.  

His father squinted his eyes and looked at Sherlock who just stared back with a blank expression. John swallowed.  

“Okay, I will. And do you have a girlfriend, Mr Holmes?”

Now Sherlock breathed deep in until he answered.

“No, I don’t. You see my work is really time-consuming and so I don’t really have the time to go out and I don’t know… meet people that aren’t already dead.”

“I see, I see.” His father took a sip of his drink.

“And John? What about you?”

“Me? Um… I had a few dates and a few girlfriends when I came back but since then nothing worked out and I’m also very busy so…” He shrugged and hoped that he sounded more convincing then he thought.  

His father looked grumpy and decided to talk to other people until the dance floor opened. Everyone stood up and a lot of people started to dance. One of the women who gave Sherlock their numbers asked him to dance and he accepted. John watched it bemused because he could see how hard the woman was trying to flirt with Sherlock who just looked like he was internally screaming.

Suddenly his father grabbed his arm and took him to the side.

“John, what’s up with that Sherlock? He seems really weird. I don’t think you should live with him. Why don’t you look for another flat? I’ll give you the money if you haven’t enough.”

“What? Why? He’s my friend. Why would I leave him?”

“Okay, John. Look, I don’t know how you didn’t notice that yet, but I don’t think that he’s like us.”

“What do you mean not like us?”

“Oh come on, look at the way he speaks or how he’s dressed and his whole body language. I mean look how he dances with that woman!  All of this basically screams poof.”

John’s whole body tensed up.

“And…?”

“What do you mean ‘and’? You can’t live with someone like that! I bet he’s into you and that’s why he didn’t tell you that he’s one of them!”

John wrested himself free and just went to Sherlock and gently grabbed his arm while the woman he danced with just looked scandalised.

“I think it’s time to go.” 

Sherlock looked at him unknowing what happened.

“What? Why?” 

“I’ll explain it later to you.”

Sherlock just nodded because he saw how angry John was, let go of the woman and followed him to the door.

Just a few metres left to the door John’s father caught up with them and shouted after them so loudly that undoubtedly everyone could hear him.

“But be aware John that some night he’ll sneak into your room and try to fuck your ass and then I don’t want you to come running home to me!”

Everyone in the room froze, even the music stopped.

Sherlock just looked like a deer that’s looking into the car light while John turned slowly around, his face in a dangerous red colour. 

He clenched his fists, stepped in front of his father and stared him in the eyes.

“Guess what I would do if he tried try that.”

“I hope you would punch him in the face because that’s what he would deserve!”

“No, no. I would turn around, pin his hands over his head and shag him senseless! That’s by the way what I’m doing very often. He’s my boyfriend. So yes ladies, I don’t think that he will call you! He’s mine.”

Now everyone was staring at John. Everyone looked shocked, beside Sherlock. He looked frightened and just to the one who knew him well,aroused.

“What do you mean, John?”

His sister Harry finally spoke.

“I’m sorry, Harry. After what happened with you, I couldn’t tell anyone that I was bi.”

Harry just nodded but looked like she was about to cry.

John breathed in loudly.

“So… now I think it’s time for us to go.”

He turned and went to Sherlock as long as everyone was still in shock.

They reached the door this time and opened it only to stumble upon a dead body lying on the floor.


	4. Bad timing

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So...my knowledge in chemistry is...not really existent :D But I asked a lot of people and did a lot of research for this chapter^^ But if something can't really work in reality then please just ignore it and enjoy the story :)

John sighed as he found the body. She was a remote relative of John. All he knew was that her name was Ember. She wore a nice looking red dress and had brown hair which was shoulder-length. Her drink that she held before she collapsed was smashed next to her, a few broken pieces of glass stuck in her hand and face. He looked up to meet Sherlock’s eyes.

“There’s no way that we’re leaving now, right?”

Sherlock looked apologetic but couldn’t repress a grin and shook his head.

One minute later Sherlock bent down to take a closer look at the body while a woman screamed in the distance as the other guests noticed the body.

John just leaned at the wall nearby while someone called the police and waited until Sherlock was done.

After a while Sherlock came to John.

“I texted Lestrade. He’ll be here soon.”

“What why? This isn’t his field of responsibility.”

“Obviously, John but he has to talk to the police so that they’ll make less trouble while working with me.”

“Ah, right.”

Sherlock then leaned himself against the wall next to John.

“So…are you alright?”

John looked up to look in his boyfriend’s face.

“Yes, sure. I mean I just told my whole family that I like to shag you but beside that…” 

He chuckled and Sherlock joined him until they were out of breath.

“I really can’t believe what my father said about you. I mean that was really vicious, even for him.”

“I think I know what happened but I don’t know if you should hear it.”

“What?”

“Are you sure? I mean I don’t think that your father wants that anyone knows it. It’s just bad luck for him that I can deduce people that easily.”

“Whatever it is please tell me. It’s my father we are talking about.”

Sherlock watched John’s face long like he was looking for something. After some time he seemed to discover it.

“Alright.  What he said to you about me… I mean about what he warned you…I think that’s exactly what happened to him.” 

“What?”

“Um…I think that maybe in college or I don’t know, your father was raped by a man.”

John froze and looked shocked at Sherlock while he tried to comprehend everything.

“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have told you my thoughts.”

“No, no. That was the right thing. I’m just so confused now.”

Sherlock just nodded and waited until John leaned against Sherlock with his shoulder.

Sherlock took the hint and put his arm around loosely around John’s shoulders.

They stayed in this position until a very angry Lestrade arrived.

“Bloody hell, Sherlock! You know very well that I’m not responsible in this area!” 

Sherlock just calmly pushed himself from the wall he was leaning on and waited until Lestrade stood directly in front of him.

“I know that. But I thought you could talk to the police officers here so that they’ll make less fuss in relation to working with me.”

Lestrade just looked resignedly and sighed.

 “Yeah, I thought so much. So I already talked to them.”

Sherlock stared at Lestrade full of expectation.

He nodded. “It’s alright. Go and do your thing.”

Sherlock was full of his usual energy when there was a murder but this time he hesitated and looked at John.

 John saw the concern in his eyes and he felt so much warmth in his chest because of his love for this man in front of him that he forgot a moment that Sherlock waited for an answer.

He just nodded. “I’m fine. You can go. I’ll catch up later.”

Sherlock looked him in the eyes once more before he turned and went to the body.

After he was gone, Lestrade went to John.

“Is everything alright?”

“Yes, sure. Just a little family drama and right when Sherlock and I wanted to storm off, we stumbled over her body.” 

“Oh, that’s what I call a bad timing.”

“Yeah.”

John expelled a humourless laugh. 

Lestrade padded him on the shoulder. “Come and let’s see what your detective found.”

 As soon as they arrived, they saw that his whole family surrounded the crime scene and watched suspiciously how Sherlock bent down next to Ember.    

John let his eyes travel over the guests until he stopped at his father.

He felt a glimpse of pain in his chest when he thought about what Sherlock told him but now was not the time.

Besides his breath hitched when he saw how his father’s gaze lingered on Sherlock with so much hatred as if Sherlock was the personified evil.

He was so caught up in that that he didn’t notice that Sherlock stood up and was now standing right in front of him with his hands folded under his chin.

“John.”

His head snapped up and he met Sherlock’s gaze which was only focused on him.

He let Sherlock’s gaze swallow him completely. This helped him calm down. It was just as the two of them had lived alone in their own safe bubble where no one could ever harm them.

“What did I deduce about Ember when we sat on the bar?”

He thought a moment about that.

“You said that she was working at the zoo…and that she recently broke up with her long-time boyfriend.”

“Yes and after that I told you who her ex was.”  

John tried to remember it and he was surprised that Sherlock even gave him the time although he already knew the answer just because he wanted to distract John.

That thought let a smile sneak to John’s lips.

“The barkeeper.” 

Sherlock smiled back and continued.

“After that I deduced that the barkeeper was also working at the zoo. Later I overheard that Ember told someone that she quote, ‘was so happy when they arrived and that she was so sad that she couldn’t work with them because they’re so cute but who would have thought that she was allergic to them?’

So let’s see…she died because of an allergic shock but of what? John and I went to the zoo the first day we were here and what was the new attraction, the big highlight of it? The pandas. So if you combine every information we have, there’s only one solution.”

He looked at the grout and waited that anyone would just say the answer. After a while where no one had answered he sighed frustrated.

“No one? Really?! Okay, I will tell you this very slowly so that really every single one of you will understand it. The barkeeper, her ex-boyfriend mixed panda hair into her drinks and the allergens killed her.”  

Everyone just looked shocked at Sherlock who was again just focusing on John.

Eventually Lestrade interfered. 

“How?”

Sherlock shrugged.

“I don’t really know. I think he put in liquid nitrogen and then he crumbled it up and put it in her drinks. I can’t examine it here so the others have to analyse his utensils and look if it matches pandas.”

 Lestrade just nodded.

“Alright I’m going to have a chat with the police and let them know everything. See you.”  

Then he walked away and Sherlock was again just focused on John.

“That was brilliant, as always.”

Sherlock just shrugged and made a vacant gesture with his hand.

John laughed at that and grabbed his sleeve to pull him closer.

“Oh come on. Don’t act like you don’t know that.”

Sherlock smirked and leaned himself closer to John.

“Do I know that?”

John grinned and gave Sherlock a small kiss what was almost just a brush of lips.

 Then he grabbed Sherlock’s face and leaned his forehead against his.

John closed his eyes and for a moment they just stood like this, taking comfort of the presence of each other.

 After a while Sherlock whispered.

 “You should go and talk to your father.”

John sighed.

“I know.”

Sherlock chuckled softly.

“Then why aren’t you moving?”

“Just one moment.”

 Sherlock hummed approvingly.  

They stayed like this until Lestrade intervened.

He cleared his throat demonstratively until they took a step back and faced him.

He grinned.

“Sorry to interrupt, but they found the barkeeper and he confessed everything. HH

 He didn’t expect that someone would find out that it was him.”

Sherlock smirked.

“It was his bad luck that I was here today. Otherwise he would have succeeded.” 

“Anyway we need to go through a few details again with the police, would you come with me?”

Sherlock nodded and Lestrade turned around and gestured to follow him.

John just wanted to follow him as a hand landed on his arm to stop him.

 “Go and talk to your father, John.” 

He looked for long moments in Sherlock’s eyes but nodded in the end. 

Sherlock squeezed his shoulder one more time and then went to follow Lestrade.

John turned to look for his father.


	5. Honesty

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here is the mentioning of rape so...be beware if that's a trigger for you

John found his father sitting alone at one of the tables in the festival room. 

He sat down next to him. 

His father showed no reaction at all so John took a deep breath and decided that it was his turn to start talking.

“Listen, dad. I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have told you about Sherlock like this. I’m really sorry. I shouldn’t have yelled at you.”

His father still showed no reaction so John continued.

“I don’t know what happened to you that you have such a bad opinion on every homosexual human but I just couldn’t let you say something like that about Sherlock. I just couldn’t.  He’s the most brilliant and most human and loving human being I have ever met and I love him so much…and if you now decide that no one is allowed to talk to me just like you did with Harry… then fine. Because if you force me to choose between you and Sherlock, it will always be Sherlock. Always.”

During that speech of John, his dad’s head snapped up and now he was looking at John directly.

 “What he did, you know with the body, was impressive.”

John raised his eyebrows surprised.

“Yes, he can deduce people. That means he knows everything about you with just one look. When we first met, the first thing he said to me was ‘Afghanistan or Iraq?’”

His father snorted and shook his head.

“And then?”

“And then? I think that was the moment I knew that I was screwed. I had never met someone like him before.”

“I believe that.”

John chuckled softly and then cleared his throat.

“So… dad. How are we dealing with it?”

He knitted his brows and shrugged.

John thought that this was probably his last chance to ask so he did.

“Did… did something happen to you? I mean something that made you think about this so bad?”  

His dad flinched.

“Why do you ask me something like that?”

John shrugged.

“Hm...well the stuff you said to us was very specific and I just explained to you how Sherlock works…so.”

The man before him frowned and for a while they both sat there in silence.

“When I was in college I used to drink often with my friends. We often went to parties and most of the time I didn’t even know whose party it was. Some of these people were…I don’t know… they seemed kind of odd. They made a lot of weird comments but I ignored them. But one evening I drank a lot and suddenly I didn’t feel very well. I was dizzy and I could barely talk. My friends were all too drunk to notice it. Some of these odd seeming guys came to me and suggested that he would bring me to my room. I accepted it because on this point I was so dizzy that everything was spinning in front of me or at least that’s how I saw it. When we arrived I just fell on the bed and I thought he would just leave my room but no instead he came into it and closed and locked the door. On this point I even couldn’t move or speak anymore. Then he made some really nasty comments about me and what he wanted to do with me and then… he … he… just did it.”

 John was shocked of this sudden outburst of his father who was otherwise a reserved man.

For a moment he didn’t even know what he should response.

“Dad…I’m so sorry that happened to you. Did you put charges on him?”

“No, no I didn’t I didn’t even know which of them it was and even if I knew I wouldn’t do it because I was too ashamed of it.”

“Ashamed? Of what? He drugged you and then raped you! This is a crime!” 

“Yes, I guess that you’re right but you know my father, your grandfather always warned me about such men.”

John raised his eyebrows.

“Such men?”

“Yes, such men who want to shag other men. He always said that they want every guy and as soon as you aren’t careful enough, they will get you because they aren’t able to stop themselves.”  

“Oh my god, I can’t even believe that he was even worse than you at this topic!”

“John!”

“No! Just no, dad! Rape has nothing to do with someone’s sexuality! I mean that’s like saying that every woman you see wants to sleep with you because they just can’t help it!”

His father chuckled.

“See! It’s ridiculous! I mean I know since I was a teenager that I’m also attracted to men but that doesn’t mean that I want to shag every man I see! In fact Sherlock is the first men I was ever intimate with! And oh yes! Another great example! Sherlock! He’s gay and I’m his first boyfriend! He never ever even kissed anyone properly until he met me so here you have it!”

John stared at his father heavy breathing who stared back.

“That was way too much info, John.”

They both winced as Sherlock’s voice broke the silence.

John turned around to see Sherlock who was lingering towards him. 

He grinned. “But I get that you wanted to make a point.”

“So…is everything settled with the murder?” 

Sherlock nodded.

“Yes, like Lestrade said…he already confessed everything and the police here was not that unreasonable as to listening to me and so everything went smoothly. But what about you two? Is here also everything settled?”

He raised both eyebrows waiting but John’s father tried everything to avoid their gazes and said nothing.

John’s shoulders dropped as he realised disappointed that this was the end.

 This was probably the last time he would be able to see his family.

He felt tears prickle behind his eyes but he did everything to prevent them from leaving his eyes.

Then he felt Sherlock’s hand in his which made him look in his face.

“Let’s go home.”

John nodded and let himself be guided by Sherlock.

He led him through the other guests until they were in Sherlock’s room.

As soon as the door was closed he couldn’t hold the tears back any longer. They ran his face down and he heard himself making an embarrassing sobbing sound but it didn’t matter.

Before he could think something, long arms embraced him and he let himself be comforted by Sherlock again. One hand of Sherlock started stroking his back and they stood this way until his tears ebbed away.  

Sherlock guided him to the bed and just waited until he was ready to talk.

He took a deep breath and started talking. When he told Sherlock everything he had learned about his father, they sat there in silence only their breathing could be heard.

“I’m sorry about what happened to your father.”

John just shrugged.

“I know it’s terrible but this isn’t an excuse for treating his children like that.”

John looked in Sherlock’s face who frowned.

“John… you know that there’s a simple solution so that you wouldn’t be banned from your family.”

John held his breath. 

“You could just break up with me. All your problems would be solved.”

He couldn’t believe what he had just heard. He rushed to Sherlock and took his hand but Sherlock avoided his gaze.

“Look at me.”

His eyes met his.

 “I would never leave you. For nothing in the world. Do you hear me? Nothing. You’re everything for me, don’t ever doubt that. I love you.”  

Sherlock reacted with a small half smile but he looked relieved.

He squeezed John’s hands.

“Good. I love you, too.”

John laughed at that and leaned in to give him a small kiss. As soon as their lips met, he tried to put all his love in it and he felt Sherlock pulling one of his hands free to place it on John’s neck instead to hold him in place.

The kiss turned into something heated but John pulled away and they pressed their foreheads together panting.

As soon as they had their breath back they chuckled.  Finally John stood up.

“Okay, let’s pack our stuff and go home.”  

John left then to pack his stuff in his room.

Later they made their way back to London. As soon as they opened the door John finally felt like he could breathe since a long time.

 They unpacked their stuff and ordered some  take away.

 They lived their life which they both loved and tried to avoid the topic and the lack of family that John felt.

* * *

 

Five months later someone rang at the door but given the fact that Sherlock had hidden the doorbell they heard nothing and so Mrs Hudson had to open it.

“Hello, can I help you?”

The man cleared his throat. 

“Yes, hello misses. I think I’m at the wrong door. I’m looking for John Watson.”

Mrs Hudson smiled.

“Oh, no Sir, you’re at the right door. I’m the his landlady-Mrs Hudson. Are you a client?”

He shook his head.

“No, no. I don’t even know if I’ll be welcome.”  

Mrs Hudson frowned.

“Oh, are you John’s father? The boys told me a bit about what happened. I was so worried. John looked as he had seen a ghost.”

Mr Watson avoided her gaze and looked at the floor.

“So… but now you’re here. That’s all what matters. Come in. I’ll bring you to them.”

She turned and Mr Watson followed her upstairs.

As soon as they stood in front of the door they could hear John yelling at Sherlock.

“Sherlock! What have you done?!”

They heard his calm answer.

“It was an accident, John.” 

“An accident?! Don’t you believe it! This was my favourite jumper, Sherlock!”

“Oh, now you’re lying, John. You just wore it once and you said that it itches, so I did you a favour.”

“By burning it?! It was a gift from Harry!”

“So? Anyway now you don’t have to wear it. So you’re welcome.”  

There was a significant silence after that.  

Mr Watson raised his eyebrows and looked at Mrs Hudson who just gestured with her hands that they’ll wait.

They waited until they could hear a low chuckle.

 “You’re unbelievable. What should I tell Harry, if she asks me?”

“Just blame me. She’ll understand it.”

Then they both giggled.

Mrs Hudson signalled Mr Watson that they would enter now. 

As soon as they entered the room John and Sherlock froze. John stood in the living room while Sherlock was standing in front of his microscope in the kitchen. 

“What are you doing here?”, John demanded to know while standing there like a soldier.

Sherlock ambled to John to stand shoulder to shoulder in front of Mrs Hudson and Mr Watson.

Mr Watson looked at them both and then looked at the floor.

John frowned and looked at Sherlock who looked surprised but consent.

They waited until he finally spoke.

“I want to apologize.”

“What? All of a sudden you want to apologize?”

“Look, it was all a bit of a shock to me. But I thought about what you said and I think that maybe you’re right.”

John raised his eyebrows and looked again at Sherlock who looked amused.

“Look, I saw you two together and I understand that you love each other. No one could overlook that, so I won’t try to force you to leave him. I also understand that not all homosexual men are like I thought.”  

“So…?”

“So I want to apologize and hope that you would still talk to me.”

“I’m not the only one you owe an apologize, dad.” 

He tore his gaze away from John and looked at Sherlock.

“Um…right. Sherlock, I’m really sorry, I understand now that you would never harm my son.” 

Sherlock nodded. “It’s okay.”

“Where does this all come from?”

Sherlock answered before his dad could.

“He started to see a therapist and obviously it’s working.” 

John looked at his father unbelieving who just stared at Sherlock.

“Is that true?”

Now his father had to force himself to look at his son again.

“Um… yes. I mean after I told you what happened and after your reaction to it I wondered if I saw everything wrong. So first I told it your mother and she had pretty much the same reaction to it like you. She suggested a therapy and I agreed. This therapist made me overthink a lot of things that happened and so I decided to change a lot of things.”

He shrugged as he ended his speech.

“Did you talk to Harry?”

His father nodded.

“I also apologized to her. She accepted it but it’ll need time until we can talk to each other in a normal way. The mistakes I made regard her lay in the past but the ones regarding you are more recent so I hope that you’re able to accept my honest apology. I mean I’m still learning and I can’t promise that I’ll always react in a perfect way to stuff concerning this topic but I’ll try.” 

He looked at John and Sherlock looking unsure and waited.  

John gave him a little smile and looked at Sherlock who also grinned a bit.

“Of course, dad.” 

He offered him his hand and he took it and shook it eagerly.  


	6. Epilogue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So that's it- that's the end of this journey ;) I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did while writing it :)

“How do you think are they going to take it? “, John asked while putting his jacket on.

 Sherlock shrugged while grabbing the last gifts because John’s arms were already full.

“You mean after so many awkward monthly dinners while they tried to show us how accepting they are?”

“Hey! They weren’t awkward! They were trying to be nice after all what happened at the wedding.”

Sherlock’s face softened.

“I know. It’s just ridiculous that they’re still uncomfortable with certain subjects. And they still stiffen when they see us touching in any way. I mean we already avoid kissing when they are around but they still look like they are biting into a lemon when we hold hands.”

John frowned and put the gifts he carried on the ground. Then he went to Sherlock and put his hand on his arm. He waited until his eyes met his.

“Hey. I know this is unfair but it’s more I ever hoped for. I mean I thought they would disown me or something like that. So let’s just be grateful for the fact that they’re trying really hard. Okay?”

Sherlock gave him a small smile in return and nodded.

John turned around and lifted the gifts once more on his arms. Then they got in the cab and set out for John’s old house where he had grown up. His parents had invited them for Christmas this year.

When they arrived Harry was already there. She hugged John. “I’m glad to see you. I want to tell you something.”

She took his hand and pulled him into another room where they were alone. 

As soon as she let go of his hand, John couldn’t wait any longer.

“What’s all of this about, Harry?”

Harry seemed so giddy and her smile nearly seemed bigger than her face that John couldn’t suppress a smile either.

“Spit it out!”

Now Harry took his both hands.

“I met someone. Her name is Lisa.”

 John had about a thousand flashbacks in his head for a moment and frowned until Harry shook her head.

“Don’t look so worried, John! Dad met her. I mean as my girlfriend. He … was nice to her and he said that he was happy for me.”

John just couldn’t believe that this happened. If someone had told him that his father would sometime accept that his children weren’t heterosexual then he would think that this person was probably very drunk.

He also smiled so widely that it should hurt and hugged Harry.

“I’m so happy for you!”

After that they got called for dinner which went pretty smoothly.  His father told everyone some stories of his youth and his mum told them the newest gossip about their neighbours. 

After they finished, they all settled themselves in the living room where they all had some punch while the fire in the chimney gave the room a cosy orange glow. 

Everyone seemed comfortable and content. Even his father’s arm lay on his mother’s shoulders. He looked to Sherlock to ask without words if he was ready. 

Sherlock nodded and stood up to stand next to John who sat in a cosy chair opposite to the couch were his parents sat and Harry in an armchair next to them.

John cleared his throat. “We have to tell you something.”

Now he had the attention of everyone in the room. He froze for a moment until Sherlock’s left hand grabbed his right shoulder to show him that he was there.

He inhaled deeply.

“You know that Sherlock and I have been together now for eleven month so nearly a year…and we… we are going to marry.”

There was a silence that filled the room for a few moments so John didn’t dare to look to his parents.

But then his father spoke.

“Hm…I guess then it’s time to say congratulations to you both. And let us know when the event is. This time hopefully without a murder, right?” 

John looked up to see his father smiling and the other one all grinning. Then Sherlock’s voice filled the room.

“What a pity.”

Everyone laughed and John could finally relax.  

After everyone congratulated them, Harry spoke. 

“But now what we all want to know. Who proposed and how?”

John chuckled.  

“Um…well Sherlock…do you want to tell the story?”

Sherlock laughed.

“Sure. We had a really hard case with a lot of bodies to solve and I was really frustrated so I yelled at a few incompetent people of the police when I suddenly had a breakthrough in my mind palace. So I just told everyone what happened and solved the case. Then John suddenly stared at me and then came to me, grabbed my face and kissed me. Then he fell on his knee and asked me if I wanted to marry him. For a moment I was so perplexed that I couldn’t say anything. Then I recovered and said yes. The end.”

John laughed. 

“Wait a moment. That was a really short version of it and you left a few important details!”

Sherlock just shrugged but gestured to John to keep going.

“So… first of all of this happened next to a body that lay on the street. Then you were really brilliant. You were suddenly shouting deductions in a speed that I thought no human would be capable of. That’s why I proposed to you in the middle of a crime scene because I couldn’t wait any longer. I planned to propose to you on that evening during dinner. Then you didn’t answer for about ten minutes and just stared at nothing. It was terrifying. But then you said finally yes and hugged me. That’s the end of the story.”

He looked to Sherlock who looked so fond at him that he had to force himself to move his gaze to his family. They watched him all with warm smiles on their faces.

He cleared his throat once more and looked to Harry.

“So… Harry. There is only one question left now. Would you like to be my maid of honour?”

Harry looked like she was about to cry. “Oh, John. Of course! Thank you!” 

She hugged him really firmly. Then his parents began to ask questions about the wedding and John entwined his fingers with Sherlock’s and relaxed.

John let his gaze wander over his parents, Harry and Sherlock who put his head on John’s shoulder and he smiled and felt for the first time in his life truly happy and with Sherlock on his side he knew he would be able to face everything on his way and he looked forward to the future which awaited them as husbands.


End file.
